Urban heat stress and mental health among jagannath university students in old Dhaka Bangladesh

Urban heat stress poses a critical threat to student mental health and academic well-being in densely populated Bangladesh. This study examines the effects of urban heat stress on the mental health of Jagannath University students in Old Dhaka, Bangladesh. This study employed purposive sampling, including 38 in-depth interviews and 406 survey responses from undergraduate and postgraduate students. The study was guided by a theoretical framework integrating Environmental Stress Theory, Urban Political Ecology and the Social Determinants of Health. Quantitative data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics and Microsoft Excel, while qualitative data were thematically analyzed using NVivo. Findings reveal that urban heat stress significantly affects students’ mental health and academic performance ( r = .324, p < .001), contributing to stress, anxiety, irritability, sleep disturbances, and absenteeism. Participants also reported physical discomfort, fatigue and emotional exhaustion due to overcrowded classrooms, poor ventilation, dense urban construction and limited green spaces. The classroom environment significantly predicted heat stress ( β = 0.177, p < .001), and heat exposure also reduced students’ concentration and motivation ( β = − 0.18, p < .001). Although students adopted coping strategies such as drinking water, adjusting their study schedules and seeking shaded areas, these measures were often inadequate because of financial and institutional limitations. The study calls for coordinated interventions to strengthen climate resilience through green infrastructure, cooling facilities, counseling, and climate education. The study contributes to SDGs 3, 11, and 13 by informing climate-adaptive urban planning and protecting student mental health in vulnerable environments.